About Doulas Supporting Teens

Doulas Supporting Teens empowers pregnant and parenting teens through education and services that encourage positive pregnancy, birth and parenting practices. Founded in 2003, DST was created as a grassroots effort to help fill the need pregnant and parenting teens in the Lane County area have for prenatal education, continuous labor support, in-home postpartum care and continued support throughout the first year of parenting. Doulas Supporting Teens' mission is to support and educate pregnant and parenting teens to bring healthy babies into healthy families to build healthy communities.

The purpose of this program is to increase awareness of, access to, and quality of education and health care for women age 19 and under and their infants. DST pairs doulas (labor support professionals) with pregnant teens, providing evidence based information, as well as emotional and physical support during pregnancy, labor and postpartum. On average DST doulas spend 45 hours with each client during the prenatal and postnatal period not including time spent at the birth. In addition, DST offers free teen-focused childbirth education classes, parenting support groups, social events, and referrals to community resources. Since 2003, Doulas Supporting Teens (DST) has provided services for over 125 pregnant and parenting teens and their families, and helped teen parents negotiate critical choices during pregnancy, birth, and early parenthood.

In Oregon, once a teen becomes pregnant they are medically emancipated from their parents/guardians. This means they are solely responsible for all medical decisions concerning their pregnancy, birth and baby. A huge part of what DST does through our work as doulas and educators is encourage pregnant teens to empower themselves with evidence based information so they are able to make informed decisions which best suit them and their baby. A common stereotype is that young parents are not capable of making medical decisions, either because of their age, maturity level and because they are uneducated. What we have found time and time again is that after receiving education and positive support our teen clients are very capable of making healthy choices for themselves and their children.

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Our Beliefs

We believe when pregnant and parenting teens are supported, educated, and respected rather than judged, they have the capacity to make healthy choices.

We believe teen parents should be educated about their legal right to make medical decisions during pregnancy, birth, and parenting and these rights should be upheld and respected.

We believe fathers who are actively involved, supported, and encouraged during pregnancy and birth create strong bonds with their babies.

We believe creating and supporting community among pregnant and parenting teens fosters healthy parenting practices.

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Who We Are Serving

Doulas Supporting Teens serves women age 19 and under, their support person(s) and their infants. Currently DST serves 20% of the Lane County pregnant teen population. In 2008, DST hopes to increase this number by serving a total of 50 pregnant teens, nearly 25% of the pregnant teen population. By 2013, DST aims to increase this number to at least 75 teens per year. The majority of teen mothers that DST serves are from socially and economically disadvantaged households, compounding their challenges and putting them at-risk for negative pregnancy, birth and parenting outcomes. DST serves clients of diverse ethnic backgrounds: 22% Hispanic, 8% Native American, 3% African-American, 3% Asian, 3% other.

DST Client Goals

• increase knowledge of pregnancy physiology, impact of prenatal nutrition on mother/baby, health benefits of breastfeeding, and community resources
• increase rates of healthy parenting
• increase cessation rates of smoking, alcohol and illicit drug use
• decrease rates of gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, pregnancy induced hypertension, pre-term labor, recurring pregnancy, and low infant birth weights & low APGAR scores
• increase rates of high school completion and furthering education and/or training beyond high school.
• reduce rates of negative feelings about their childbirth experience

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We Make A Difference

Our Stats Are Proof That Our Work Is Making A Difference

Doulas Supporting Teens serves a diverse population

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